Everything He Ever Wanted & Never Realized He Had
by AnotherObsessedFangirlWriter
Summary: au, set post season 8, oc x sam, sam centric story ** Sam and Dean have to return to St. Louis Missouri, when a shifter that their father hunted while the boys were still in high school returns, wreaking havoc. While there, Sam has an interesting run in with a face from his past and her little girl.. What he finds out will most definitely change his life, but in what way? r&r fluff
1. Chapter 1

Foreword: This is probably the first story I ever wrote for Supernatural, and it's a work in progress. It's based around the events of season 8, with huge changes to that. Sam is gonna get his happy ending, damn it to hell.

YOU WERE WARNED HERE FIRST! IT IS ORIGINAL CHARACTER DRIVEN/SAM CENTRIC. This is basically THEIR story, how they find one another again, how Sam deals with finding out that he's a father, how they deal with the slightly altered fallout of the last episode of season 8, and where they go from there.

Sam Winchester x OC.. And if I actually see this through to the end, then they'll marry. Sorry to anyone out there who's canon obsessed. I love Sam. It's my own small way of inserting myself.

I'm going to follow the events from the 8th (and maybe the 9th, if they're not getting the shit end of the stick again this go round) loosely, adding my own twists and input here and there. Sorry for any ooc ness that's not stated in an authors note before the chapter begins. Nobody's perfect.

**Reviews are loved** but no flames, please? I'm sort of wary about posting this, but hey.. Everyone has their own spin on original character x canon paired fics. Yes this will be a romance. This is Sam's happy ending damn it, because I fucking love my Moose.

For those curious about my original character, I post things about them on my biography. Just basics really.


	2. Chapter 2

ST LOUIS, MO

Dean poked his brother awake and then snickered as Sam rubbed his eyes, grumbled, swearing. "What the hell, Dean?"

"We're stopping to grab something to eat. See if anything new's turned up on the shifter." Dean stated simply as he got out of the Impala, stretched his legs and arms, looking at the small retro themed diner.

So far, in all of the towns they'd ever been in, Dean could admit that there was a diner like this in every single town they'd been in.

Sam eyed the small building, his hand in his hair. In his mind, he went back to the first time he'd come to St. Louis with their father and Dean for a case. It'd been his senior year in high school. The place they stood in the parking lot of now had been pretty damn special to him.

"You alright, Sammy?" his brother asked in concern. Sam hadn't too long ago just came out of yet another close call. If Dean hadn't been able to get inside his baby brother's mind and coax him out again.. Sammy would have given up. It still pissed Dean off.

"Yeah.. I was just, umm.. I was just thinking. So, what's the name of that girl that Garth gave us to call? The white magic witch? The one who helps hunters?" Sam asked, mostly changing the subject, tension evident in his voice.  
Dean looked at his hand and said "Brianne."

The name sounded familiar, but Sam said nothing. They pushed open the door to the diner and slid into a booth, looking around the place.

The shifter's last two victims had been waitresses here, and the shifter seemed for the most part to have a predetermined typeset when it came to said victims.

Most of them were single, lived alone, worked the night shift so they were the last ones out.. And the ones they didn't find partially eaten weren't seen or heard from again, which lead the brothers to believe that the shifter might be trying to start a 'pack' by keeping the girls he managed to get pregnant hidden until the babies were born, and then disposing of the mothers after the fact.

Dean studied his brother as Sam slid out the laptop and turned it on, waiting, drumming his fingers impatiently against the table. "Are you okay, Sam?"

"Yeah. Just glad to be up, out of the bed."

"I could still kick your ass, Sammy. You almost gave up."

"I know, Dean, and I said I was sorry, damn it. Can we get past that alr.."

His voice trailed off as the petite and curvy dirty blonde walked in, carrying a 5 year old girl with the longest light brown hair he'd probably ever known a little girl to have.

"Sorry I'm late Gus. Fuckin car.." Brianne admitted as she called out, "Had to bring baby girl with me."

"It's fine, Bri. Just sit her down over there, the coloring books and stuff are in the back." Gus said as she sighed and raked her hand through her hair, looking around the diner.. She'd seen a black Impala outside, but there wasn't any way that Sam was back.. Was there?

She grabbed an apron and tied it on, then sat Samantha down at the table in the back, getting out the coloring books, the crayons and her word list for school. "Read those, baby girl.. We're gonna go over 'em when Mommy has a break again.. And you need to know 'em all."

The quiet 5 year old nodded as she studied the two men at a nearby booth carefully, while flipping through her coloring book, trying to find a picture to color.

She scowled a little as she turned her attention back to her coloring book, unaware of either of the two men currently staring a hole through the table she sat at.

Sam choked as he got a good look at the little girl. And Dean wasn't too far behind, as he nudged Sam and asked, "Sammy.. There something you ain't telling me?"

"Not that I know of, no." Sam said as he bit his lower lip.. Even as he said it, he wasn't entirely sure that it wasn't true. But when he got a really good look at the little girl's mom, he choked again and then said quietly, "Uh oh."

"As in good uh oh or oh shit uh oh, Sammy?" Dean asked, as he looked at his brother for a moment, then back at the blonde waiting the other tables, then back at the little girl as everything slowly clicked into place.. Dean palmed his face.. He'd had his own close call with Ben, when he'd first met the kid, he'd have sworn that Ben WAS his son.

"I'm not entirely sure yet.." Sam muttered as he stood and stretched, walked over to the counter closest to the table the little girl sat coloring at, or rather, chewing the tip of her colored pencil, scowling at the coloring book page, which appeared to be a scene from the Tim Burton version of Alice In Wonderland.

He grabbed a hand full of ketchup though he didn't need it, and the look he got at the blonde girl who might have been just a little younger than him confirmed it.

That was his former girlfriend.. If you could really call her that, they'd never really stuck to one place too long, so naturally, he hadn't gotten to spend long with her, and she'd been the biggest reason he actually left and went to college, or tried to.

To stop moving around so much. Because leaving town that year killed him.

Brianne stepped from behind the counter, and smacked straight into a grown up and god only knew twice as handsome Sam Winchester and gasped before biting her lower lip.

"S-sam?"

"Bri?"

"What brings you back to town?"

"Work, actually.. Do you actually still live here?"

"Mhmm.. Me and my baby girl."

He looked at the little girl who chose that moment to really look up.. And it was almost like he was looking right into his own eyes. He clearly saw now what had his brother gaping at the little girl earlier.

She walked over, quietly, thumb in her mouth, a floppy black knit hat on her hair as she tugged on her mom's skirt.

"Mama.."

"What is it, baby girl?"

"I wanna listens to the music box. Can I? Please?" she asked quietly, as Sam knelt down to her level and smiling asked, "What's your name?"

Samantha hid her face and looked at him between her fingers for a moment before saying quietly, "S-samantha."

"She's real shy." Brianne admitted, adding mentally, 'Just like her daddy used to be.' as she dug into pockets on the apron and fished out a dollar or two, put them in her daughter's small hands as she leaned down and then said quietly, "It's okay, Sam. You can talk to him if you wanna."

Her daughter looked up at her as if she were making absolutely sure it was okay to talk to the man her mommy was talking to and giving him the same slightly lopsided grin that he saw every time he looked in a mirror.

He coughed and then said quietly, "So.. You're probably married now.."

"Actually, I'm not." Brianne admitted as she looked at him and asked, "You?"

"Nope. Work.. It gets in the way."

Dean cleared his throat, but Sam waved him off.

Dean sat watching the two of them talking and he snuck another look at the little girl.. "If that kid's not Sam's kid. It's a damn freaky coincidence how much she does resemble Sammy at that age."

He of course, decided to walk over to the little girl, having had a little more experience with kids than his brother..

Samantha looked up as the chair in front of hers slid out and a guy flopped down. "You smooshed Hammy." she stated calmly as Dean raised a brow and she said again, "In my bag. My stuffed toy." while biting her lower lip.

Dean raised up and got the bag out from beneath him, holding it out.

She took it and pulled out a hot pink and lime green sock monkey as she said "This Hammy." while looking at him in curiousity, her little head cocked slightly to one side, thumb near her mouth.

"I'm Dean."

"My mommy has a picture of that other person. He wif her."

"Yeah, kid, I think they were friends when they were in school."

"Eww. Boys are gross."

Brianne studied Sam a moment, her eyes landing on a long gash across his forehead as she gaped at it. "What the hell?" she blurted, her hand reaching up, brushing the shaggier hair out of his forehead, looking up at him.. Should she tell him about Samantha now?

" I, umm.. had an accident " Sam blurted, wondering if he should ask her about Samantha.

"And your wife.. She wasn't bitching you out? Christ, Sam, that's one hell of a gash.. Did you even get it stitched?" she asked, congratulating herself mentally for slipping in the question she was dying to ask.. Because if he wasn't married, and he was back here, damn it.. She was finally going to tell him about Samantha.

He had a right to know.

"No wife, Bri." Sam muttered as he looked at Dean and Samantha, then asked, "What's her name?"

"Samantha."

Sam coughed for a moment and Brianne said quietly, "I'm gonna go grab my cigarettes, take a smoke break.. You need to come out with me.. There's something.."

He nodded, let her dig around in the pocket of a hip length leather jacket as she fished out a pack of Marlboro Reds and a silver lighter, turned to walk out the door.

"Be right back, Dean." he mouthed as Dean gave him a thumbs up and then asked the little girl, "So.. Are you an only child?"

"Mhmm. It just me and mama." she said as she shoved a worksheet at him and said proudly, "Ask me word."

"Hmm... Pinata."

"P-I-N-A-T-A." she spelled out the word as she watched her mom and the taller man carefully from the window, obviously worried.

"What's wrong?"

"Makin sure my mama don't get hurted."

Dean chuckled as he said "That's good.. But I don't think that guy's gonna hurt her."

Outside the diner, Brianne paced the parking lot in front of Sam, kicking at rocks. This hadn't been anything like how she'd been planning on telling him. She'd often dreamt of seeing him again, telling her and everything going smoothly. After all, sometimes you just don't get over your first love.

And she hadn't.

"Sam... She's your.." She started as Sam stopped her pacing and asked, "She's my daughter?" blinking in shock. Brianne nodded as she said quietly, "I tried to find you, especially when I found out your dad was a hunter an my grandma helped him.. But it's like you dropped off the Earth."

He nodded, angry at himself, at the fact that he was a hunter, that his dad even made him leave back then. He hadn't wanted to, naturally, but they'd had to.

Then he went off to college and he really wanted to kick himself, but every time he thought about finding Brianne... He'd sort of backed out, afraid she'd forgoten him, or she was happy with someone else.

He raked his hands through his hair and took a few deep breaths as he said quietly, "Wow.."

"I'm not mad, Sam. I know why you guys left now."

"What do you mean?"

"My grandma.. She sort of sat me down and talked to me after you guys left in such a hurry.. Turns out, your dad had been getting her help on a case.. The shifter thing."

"So your grandma was the witch?"

"Yeah. We're white magic though.. Mostly protection spells, amulets, one exorcism... Stuff like that." Brianne admitted as she asked Sam, "So.. Do you want to see her?"

"Yeah..I do." Sam said as he walked into the diner with Brianne, then over to the table where Samantha sat, his heart racing, his legs felt like rubber..

So many different and conflicting emotions going through his mind.. He took a deep breath and the little girl looked up, mid giggle at something Dean was telling her.

The chubby fingers went over her eyes and she peeked at him, giggling. "Hi."

"Hey." Sam said as he sat down, looked at the worksheet in front of where Dean had been sitting, then said with a grin, "Spelling words."

"Which she got all of right, except Wednesday." Dean mused as Sam nodded. "We can't even spell the same word correctly." he joked as Dean raised a brow, watched his brother with the little girl before saying "I'll go check out the newspaper."

"Actually, Dean.. I'm the contact Garth gave you two.. So if you wanna know anything, ask away." Brianne said, giving Sam a little time with their daughter, smiling to herself.

It also gave her the perfect chance to chew Dean's ass for letting Sam get hurt.

Which she did, the second they sat down.

Sam looked at the little girl and smiled. She scooted out of her chair and walked around the table, scooted onto his lap. "Wanna color?" she asked as she held out a crayon. He took the crayon and they started coloring, laughing as she said "He supposed to be dark purple."

"But he's a cat."

"He's not A cat.. He the Cheshire Cat. From the movie." Samantha said as Sam smiled and then said "Alice in Wonderland, huh?"

"Mhmm. I wants a cat like him, but mama.. She don't like kitties."

"Actually, Samantha, I think Mom's afraid of kitties. Or allergic." Sam blurted, surprised he remembered that.

"You taked my mama dancin before.. Didn't you?" Samantha asked in curiousity, Sam's face coloring. She had the picture of them from Prom, still?

Sure he hadn't been able to actually go.. But he'd snuck in for a little while for her, because he promised.

"Yeah." he coughed.. That was the night before he left, the night that they'd actually made the little girl sitting in his lap right now.

"Don't choke, silly." Samantha giggled as she looked up and slid her soda to him, smiling.. The eyes and the grin.. How in the hell was he just going to leave town when the case was over?

He bit his lower lip as he looked over at Brianne and had the fleeting thought that since the biggest of the danger had been taken care of, thanks to their stopping Angels and Demons from taking over, that maybe... But he didn't want either of them in danger.

But now that he knew he had a daughter, and now that he'd seen Brianne again.. He wasn't too entirely sure he wanted to leave them behind, either.

The man walked in, looking at Brianne for a long period of time and the hairs on the back of Sam's neck and on his arms raised as he said quietly, "Hey Samantha?"

"Hmm, sir?"

"Dad's gonna.. Ermm, I mean let's go sit with Mom, okay?" Sam said casually as he picked her up and carried her back over to the booth where Brianne and Dean sat going over newspaper clippings, completely unaware that the man came in, or even that the man was watching Brianne intently..

"Do you know that guy?" sam asked as he sat down next to Brianne, sliding his arm over the back of the booth, moving Samantha to sit between them as she looked up and over, then shook her head and said "Gus thinks he's a drifter or somethin, guy comes in every damn night almost."

Dean got a bad feeling and then asked, "Does he stay a long time?" as he gave Sam a warning look, mouthed, "She might be coming to the hotel with us, Sammy."

Sam nodded and then spoke up to say "You're not living in your grandma's house still.. Right?"

"Yeah, why?" Brianne asked as she looked from Sam to Dean, then back at the guy who sat reading a menu.

"It might not be a good idea to go home, Bri." Sam insisted as Brianne said "Or.. I go home and you two don't stay in the damn hotel. I mean now that you know.."

"Good point." Dean pointed out as he looked at Sam, barely hiding a smug smirk as Sam bit his lower lip and gave Dean a dirty look.

Samantha looked up at the man and then leaned up, whispered quietly, "Are YOU my daddy?"

Sam coughed and then smiling said quietly, "Yeah."

" I knew it." the little girl smiled brightly as she covered her mouth, giggling.

And already, he wasn't entirely sure he could just walk away, when they'd finished off the shifter.. In fact, he was almost pretty damn certain he WAS NOT walking away again. Everything he felt for Brianne was coming back to the surface in a surprising and short space of time and he wasn't going to be the in and out father.. He wasn't gonna do to Samantha what their dad did to Adam.. Because in the end, that'd hurt Adam more than he'd have been hurt if Adam knew the truth and saw their father all the time.

Now he just had to figure out how to make it all work for them.


	3. Chapter 3

ST LOUIS, MO

He couldn't help but flash back in time as the Impala pulled into the stone driveway of the 2 story Victorian with wisteria trellises at the white picket gate. His eyes went up and he saw the window he'd crawled into probably too many times to count their short time in St. Louis when he and Dean had been here the first time ever, with his father on that case back then.

Dean stopped the car and then said quietly, "So.."

"So.."

Sam raked his hand through his hair, watched her getting their daughter out of her own car, a classic and restored Camaro SS as he said quietly, "What the hell am I gonna do now?"

Dean raked his hands through his hair, thought about it a moment. What his brother found in that diner tonight, well.. It was everything his brother ever wanted really. And they'd already had to give almost everything up. So maybe, this happened for a reason. And he knew how he'd felt when he thought Ben was his son.. He'd been determined to make things work.

"What do you wanna do?" Dean asked as Sam said quietly, "I don't wanna leave them. I mean I used to toy with the idea of coming back here while I was at Stanford. And then every time we had a case nearby, I'd catch myself wondering if she were okay, if she was happy. I just don't want them in any danger either, Dean."

"They don't necessarily have to be, Sam.. I mean you heard Cas after we did what we had to that night.. Yeah, we're still gonna have things to hunt.. But things are supposedly going to start slowing down.. Maybe it's not a bad thing, you running into them now."

"But we don't KNOW that the worst of it all's over, Dean.. I mean there's still what I saw when I was trapped in my own head not so long ago." Sam butted in, looking at his older brother with a serious expression on his face.

"Cas said.." Dean started as he said quietly, "You're right.. But maybe if they're with us, Sam.."

"I don't want her seeing what we do. It's bad enough Brianne had to grow up knowing about the stuff, obviously, and the way we were raised." Sam said firmly as Dean shrugged and said "We might not have a choice, Sammy.. You know how things get.. And if things do get bad again, then don't you want her there, don't you want to KNOW they're both safe?"

"Yeah." Sam said quietly as he bit his thumb in he couldn't deny that seeing Brianne again had awakened feelings he thought he'd shoved way down deep, forgotten about, as well as urges, things he'd wanted and hoped would happen, for the two of them, back then.

They got out of the Impala and walked up the poured flagstone walkway, then onto the porch. Brianne let them in and shut the door behind her firmly as Sam looked around. And of course, right there on the mantle, sandwiched between pictures of her with her grandmother, what he suspected was her own father and mother (they' both died when she was younger, he remembered that now) was the picture of them on their last night together, the night of her senior prom.

"Daddy." the little girl said, hugging his legs, scaling his body as she hugged him and then said "I show you my room.", making him smile. He let her direct him up the stairs, and opened the door to his daughters room, hiding a laugh as he saw the dolls everywhere, the dress up box full of costumes.. And apparently, like him, she was a really really avid reader. She giggled as she jumped out of his arms, then pulled his hand, pulling him into the room. "Sit." she muttered, patting the bright pink, purple, aqua and lime green covered bed.

He sat down and she climbed into his lap as she said quietly, "I can be happy now.. I made a birthday wish, sir.. And it came true! You came and found mama." while looking up at him. He nodded, his arms going around the little girl, to steady her, keep her from falling out of his lap, he found that this was a big concern of his, anything hurting her.

"You like to read, huh?"

"Mhmm.. I can read 4th grader books." Samantha stated as she leaned her head against his chest and said quietly, "Mama still love you."

He coughed a little, not sure how to react. He did know that all of his old feelings where Brianne were concerned practically flooded him earlier when he'd seen the two of them in the diner earlier today, but he was also scared that if he let her get too close, it'd be Jess all over again. Her voice broke through his slightly troubled thoughts as she smiled and said quietly, "You loves her too.. But you hunts monsters."

"How do you know?"

All he got was a slight shrug as she said "Sometimes I know stuffs. Same as mama." while smiling and looking up at him then asked, "Wanna read to me?"

"Sure." he said as he pulled off his thick soled boots and flopped back onto the bed, pulling the little girl into his arms, putting his arms back around her, picking up a book, Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, the one she had sitting on her nightstand next to a half eaten candy bar and some heart shaped sunglasses.

Dean snickered a little as he walked upstairs to find his brother, found his brother and his niece asleep on his niece's brightly colored bed, a book open on the bed beside Sam.. He walked down the stairs and said "Hey Bri.. Come check this out."

Brianne jogged up the stairs and smiled softly to herself as she peeked into her daughter's room, saw Sam and Samantha completely and totally out cold asleep on Samantha's bed. "Wow.. I never thought.. I mean I was beginning to give up finding him.."

Dean nodded and said quietly, "He's not gonna say it, Bri, but I will.. Hell, he was crushed when we had to leave with dad back then, and he's actually tried coming back here.. But he keeps lettin stuff get in his way.."

"He's afraid to put us in danger.. Or losing us.." she muttered as she bit her lower lip and then walked in, leaned down over the bed, pulling up a blanket over both of them, kissing Sam just below the scar on his forehead and then Samantha on the top of her head before turning to Dean and saying, "Let's let 'em sleep.. You can tell me why the hell he looks like he's been through a fuckin war." as she gave Dean a slightly dirty look.

Dean nodded and said calmly, "It's not pretty, Brianne.. The stuff he went through, the stuff he's kinda still goin through. I think he needed this more than he realized."

"Me too. And I.. I never really got over him.. Just.. I tried, it just never worked." she admitted as Dean said quietly, "Things are getting better now.. And he's back.. Maybe you should think about tellin him this.. Not me."

"Yeah, but."

"No buts, Brianne. Give him a reason." Dean said, his mind going back to what Sam said when Dean had been in his mind while he'd been out, shortly after he finished the last trial.

Brianne nodded and then said with a quiet smile, "Okay, okay.. I get it, Dean. This is you playing nosy big brother, huh?"

"Yeah."

"And mind if I give you some advice?"

He studied her a moment and then said "I guess not.."

"If you're feeling like there's something off about something that happened in your past.. Look into it." Brianne said as she turned and walked out of the room, back down the stairs.

For now, she'd let Sam rest, let Samantha have her father for tonight. Tomorrow, however, she fully intended to have a long and detailed talk with Sam Winchester, she was finally going to lay it all on the line and hope to hell it worked.

Dean caught up to her and asked, "What'd you mean?"

" Something about a girl.."

"Yeah, there were a lot of those."

"No, this one.. her name was Jo.. Look, I only get this stuff in bits and pieces, okay? I'm not just a witch, I.."

Dean gaped at her and then raked his hands through his hair as he said calmly, stiffly, "Jo's dead."

"Maybe not? I don't know, Dean.. The message isn't for me to figure out, it's for you." Brianne said as she looked at him a moment and then handed him a card as she said "I know you probably don't buy into it.. But this woman's one of the best legitimate psychics.. She'd be able to help you a lot better than me. Go talk to her, probably the sooner the better."

He took the card and said "What the hell.." as he added, "I do this.. You tell Sam exactly how you feel. Trust me, Brianne. He needs a reason."

"I know, Dean." Brianne said as she waved him out, then went to sit at her kitchen table, sipping a warm cup of green tea while she tried to figure out exactly how in the hell she was going to tell Sam everything she hadn't been able to say back then, now.

His voice from behind her had her shooting out of her chair almost as he stretched and walked into the kitchen, sat down. "Brianne.. I feel like a huge.."

"Shh."

"What?"

"Don't come in here apologizin, Sam.. It's out now.. But not all of it. Just let me say this, okay?"

He nodded, watched her pacing, mumbling to herself as she stopped in front of him and sat down in his lap, taking his face in her hands. "Your brother told me, Sam.. All of it."

He groaned inwardly.

"And now, I wanna tell you something.. When you left, it hurt.. Because when you left, I realized that I loved you. And when Samantha came along, I had to figure out really, really quickly how to work through it.. But I still love.. I still want you, Sam. I still love you completely.. And I'm not going to let you fight me on this, because damn it, you coming back happened for a reason."

He'd been just about to say something, but she pressed her lips to his, pulling him into a kiss that left them both breathless. "What about?"

"We're gonna figure all that out, okay.. For now, I just wanna get that off my chest." Brianne said as he nodded and then said quietly, "Our little girl.. She's beautiful."

"I know. Has her dad's eyes." Brianne admitted, smiling at Sam who shook his head and said "No. She looks just like you, Bri."

They lapsed into silence, each trying to figure out what the hell was going to happen next.

And meanwhile, Dean was talking to a psychic, and about to find out the surprise of his own life..

maybe everything was finally going to work out for the boys.. Sam found himself hoping that just this one time, maybe he'd finally have the life he'd wanted for so long.


	4. Chapter 4

ST LOUIS, MO

The chubby little fingers poked at him until he finally peeked through one partially open eye and found her standing there, thumb in her mouth as she looked at him in curiousity. Had he been having a damn nightmare? He sat up and smiled as he held out his arms to the little girl, his daughter, though he was still getting his head around this fact, really, and pulling her onto his lap, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I scart. So I come down here with you and Mama." Samantha admitted as she leaned her head against him and then looked up at her father. "What's wrong?" Sam asked her as she said quietly, "Man outside. He starin at the house, looks mad." As Sam heard this, he stiffened and poked Brianne awake, she'd fallen asleep on the couch in front of him when they sort of settled in to talk about what happened now, since their run in.

Brianne sat up, rubbing her eyes as she looked at their daughter in concern and asked Sam, "What's wrong?" Sam looked at them and said quietly, "Well, according to Samantha, Bri.. There's a man standing outside the house, looking at it. And he looks mad."

Brianne raised a brow and slid off the couch, sliding a wooden baseball bat into her hand as she tiptoed to the front door. Sure enough, down by the fence, by the awning over the white gate, she could see a man standing there against a lamp post, leaned back, watching the house. And sure enough, the man did look mad. She started to turn the knob but Sam's larger hand closed over hers and he shook his head, pointed up the stairs as he handed their daughter to her.

"No."

"Bri, it's not up for debate.. Get up the stairs, you and Samantha, now. Hide. No matter what you hear, do not come out." Sam said as he opened the door, just in time to see the man turn and run around a corner, vanish into thin air almost as he caught up to the guy. He'd just turned around, and was heading back to the house, when he bumped into his brother, Dean.

"Dean.. Did you just see a guy? He was standing outside the house, looking at it.. And he vanishes into thin air." Sam stated as Dean shook his head and said "Let's get inside, man. We'll figure out what the hell's going on as soon as I've got a beer in me. Tonight's been.. It's been strange."

"Define strange, Dean."

"Just trust me, Sam, it's been strange." Dean muttered, the psychic's words and warning, the message from Jo still ringing in his ears.. If the psychic weren't full of shit.. Then Jo was alive, and out there somewhere.. And Dean too might be in for it, when he found her.. Because a little known secret about that last night before they'd faced the Apocalypse... They had indulged their feelings for one another, they had made love that night.. He hadn't even told his brother Sam about it.

Then again, he wasn't expecting to find her brought back to life when they did what was required of them, in closing the gates to Hell. He wasn't expecting there to be anything good that'd come from them doing something to make life easier on unsuspecting humans.

Sam studied his brother as he said "Let's get inside."

"How's it going with Bri and Samantha?"

Sam just smiled, a goofy smile as he admitted, "I kinda like this.. She came downstairs to wake me up tonight, because she got scared and she knew that me and Bri were talking on the couch before we fell asleep."

Dean gave a nod and then said "I'm gonna.. There's something I gotta do, Sam.. I gotta do it alone. So I'm gonna leave, and you're gonna stay here.. But I'll come back, and I'll explain everything then." and looked at his brother, waiting on him to ask a million questions. "Does this have anything to do with where Bri sent you earlier? She kind of told me.."

"Yeah, it actually has everything to do with it."

"What about the case, Dean?"

"It won't take long, Sam. I just need a day, tops." Dean said as he added, "If anything comes up on that shifter.. Do not make a move without me. Call me. I'll come back."

"And you can't tell me what you're up to?"

"No, because right now, Sam.. I'm in shock."

Sam nodded and then started to say something but Dean cut him off as he said calmly, "You were saying that I treated you like you were a screw up.. This is me, Sam.. Letting you handle things.. Let me do the same, okay?"

"Okay, alright.. Moody." Sam said as he watched his brother driving off, his hand in his hair. Tomorrow, he was going to figure out what the hell that man was doing outside the house tonight.. But all that mattered right now, was getting back inside the house, making sure his girls were safe. He walked in and Samantha ran to him, climbing his body as she said quietly, "I scart, daddy.. Who was that man?"

"I dunno, Sammy.. But tomorrow, dad's going to figure it out, okay?" Sam said as he looked at Brianne and then smiled, sliding his arm around her as he looked at Samantha and asked, "Think you can go back to sleep again?"

Samantha shook her head and pouting said "I wanna sleeps with you.. And mama. Please?"

The two adults blushed as they looked at one another and Brianne whispered, "We're adults. Nothing has to happen." giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He nodded and then thought to himself that it wasn't the fact that he didn't want something to happen.. It was the fact that he actually DID want something to happen.. Seeing Brianne again earlier in the week, and learning about their daughter, together.

It was basically giving him everything he ever really wanted.. And he was trying like hell to make sure nothing was going to get in the way of that.


	5. Chapter 5

ST LOUIS, MO

"Babe.. Turn off the sun." she grumbled as Sam laughed and shielding his eyes, pulled the covers up over the three of them. They'd slept in the same bed, together, last night, mostly for their daughter's sake after she had a nightmare, shortly after waking up to see an odd man lurking down in the yard in front of the house, from her bedroom window, and probably gotten too scared.

And it'd been comfortable, right.. Not awkward like they probably both secretly thought it'd be. In fact, nearly the whole week he'd been here.. Everything felt as natural as breathing. He was starting to think that maybe he COULD do this. Maybe he could have both worlds. Because the dutiful nature within himself wouldn't allow for him to give up on hunting.. And now he had to protect the two of them. He even had to admit that everything he felt for Brianne back then was back, the feelings were growing. But he was trying NOT to rush anything.

"If I could, babe." Sam muttered as he leaned over, kissed her forehead, Samantha giggling as she woke up and asked, "Hungry?"

"Are you?" Sam asked as Brianne muttered sleepily, "I am.. But sleepy too. Bed's warm.. So are you." before snuggling against him, not allowing him any real movement. Samantha groaned and said "She like this.. Until she have coffee or soda."

"Really.. Well what do you say we try and wake mom up?" Sam asked, hint of a smirk as he went for her ribs, tickling her and Samantha giggled, lifting the cover, going for her mom's feet. Brianne grumbled and sat up, smiling a little as she stretched, yawning. "Damn it.. We slept until 10? Really, Sam?" Sam shrugged and said "You didn't have to work and Samantha didn't have school, so yeah.. I pretty much let you two sleep.. I mean it's been a crazy few days.."

"It has.. But I love it." Brianne admitted as she slid off the bed, grabbing for his plaid shirt, the shirt dwarfing her frame as she turned and then said "See, now that's not fair, y'all.. Get me awake, and you two snuggle back down into bed."

"Mommy, daddy warm.. And I missed my special cartoon." Samantha complained as Sam pulled her back down on top of him and said casually, "You can get back in here too.."

"Oh no you don't.. We gotta get out of this bed sometime today." Brianne was just about to mutter as she was about to kiss him when a throat clearing from the doorway had them looking at each other, then at the doorway. "How the hell did..."

"Cas, seriously? You have to do that?" Sam asked as Cas said calmly, "Dean's on his way back.. Told me to wait here. Has some sort of announcement."

"Cas, Brianne. Brianne, Castiel.. probably one of few decent angels I know."

Cas smiled at the little girl.. He remembered 'checking in' on the little girl a time or two, when her regular guardian angel got sick or was performing other duties. Samantha smiled a little, peeked through her hands at the man and said "You needs wings.. I has fairy wings in my room.."

Cas chuckled and said "My wings.. They don't show, so I can blend into this world."

"Oh.. Cooool.. Daddy, has you seen his wings?"

"Yeah, a time or two." Sam said as he hugged Samantha and then said "We'll be down in a minute, Cas.. Any idea what Dean's up to?"

"Just that he's not coming back alone.." Cas admitted as he added, "And we've found a few fallen angels.. Who happen to be pissed."

"Just great." Sam groaned as he raked his hand through his hair and stood, pulling Brianne out of bed by her hand, as he picked up Samantha, letting her climb onto his shoulders. To say he was beginning to get used to his daughter riding on his shoulders or even falling asleep on him at night, or sitting in his lap when they all ate, it'd be an understatement. He loved it. He'd already missed more than enough time with her, and he was hell bent on making up for that lost time as much as he could.

And by this point, he'd pretty much decided he was NOT letting them go, either of them, again. If there was danger, he only trusted himself and Dean to keep them safe. So there was no way in hell, given what he knew about the other things that walked among the human race silently, he was leaving them here to have something happen to them.

And besides this.. The spark between himself and Brianne was coming back, stronger. He was starting to realize that maybe he had loved her all along.

They made their way down the stairs, Brianne went into the kitchen, moments later, the smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs, grits filled the house and he smiled.. For the moment, even if they had to go somewhere safe.. This felt like home.. This is that feeling he'd been chasing all over the world practically, always just out of his reach.

Cas smiled as he asked, "So she IS yours."

"What the.. How'd you even think that?" Sam asked as he smiled and nodded.

"She looked a LOT like you when I had to take over her guardian angels duties.. I thought maybe a distant relative or something, I never mentioned it, because you never mentioned Brianne, the girls mother." Castiel stated calmly as Sam sighed and said "The one that got away, basically."

"Hmm."

"Anyone that's hungry better get in here and eat." Brianne called out as Samantha called out into the living room, "Daddy.. I can't reach the orange juice! And mama can't either."

Sam jumped up and Cas stood also, walking into the small kitchen as Sam grabbed the juice and asked, "Any reason it's so high up?"

"Our daughter.. She likes to sneak down at night and drink it." Brianne quipped as she turned, pulled Sam into a kiss. It was still hard to believe that he was here, that they were all together.

Maybe this was all for a good reason after all.


	6. Chapter 6

ST LOUIS, MO

The coffee sat in front of him, as he stared intently at the list of attacks from the shifter, on the laptop's screen in front of him. Brianne's voice crept into the room from the next room, where she and Samantha were watching something on tv, apparently something funny. Sam smiled to himself as he turned slightly in the chair at the dining table to look through the doorway between the two rooms at her, at their daughter.

A few seconds later, he felt hands caressing slow lazy circles over his temples as Brianne leaned in and said quietly, "You're gonna get a headache if you keep sittin there waiting on somethin to happen, babe. Take a break for a few minutes?" leaning against him while she stood behind him. He pulled her over him, into his lap as he nodded and said quietly, "Yeah, I think I will. So what are you two watching in there?"

"You'll laugh at me." Brianne admitted as Sam shook his head and then pointed out, "No, I won't.. I have to share a tv with my porn and daytime tv obsessed brother, remember?"

" We're watching Brave."

"What's that?" Sam asked, his fingertip trailing over her lower lip as she raised her brow then said "Seriously.. You've never seen it?"

"Nope. I really don't get to watch many movies." Sam said, gesturing to the laptop, as Brianne groaned and then stood, holding out her hand, pulling him up. A little giggle from the doorway had them looking up and Samantha said with a smile, "You're gonna miss the best part, Mama, Daddy.." as she bit into a marshmellow, looking at them.

Standing, he let Brianne and Samantha lead him into the living room, flopping down onto the couch, Samantha getting in his lap, settling in against him as she said "We restart it."

"We can watch it again tomorrow, Sammy." Sam told his daughter as he caught sight of the time on the clock and then added, "Tomorrow, someone has school."

"Yeah, she does." Brianne said as Samantha pouted and then said quietly, "But you be here with mama when I come home.. Right?"

Sam nodded. He wasn't intending on going anywhere, now that he knew about her, now that he and Brianne were reconnecting, he intended to stay as long as he possibly could, only leaving town for the occasional hunts that he and Dean might have to go on. And on cue, the second he thought about his older brother, the phone in the next room began to ring, and he raised a brow, but Brianne answered it.

Dean heard Sam's girlfriend pick up and then said in a rush, "Sam's still there, right?"

"Yeah, why.. Dean, what's wrong?"

" That lead the psychic gave me, Brianne.. It was true. I can't explain everything over the phone, but I wanted to check in, tell Sam that I'm on the way back.. Did Cas make it to you guys?"

Brianne peered into the living room, Sam had just let someone into the house and smiling, she laughed and said "Yes, Sammy's crazy uncle Cas is in the living room. Right now, the poor guy's trying to understand that movie Brave."

"Ahh. Can I talk to Sam?" Dean asked, looking over at a sleeping Jo, holding what was apparently, their sleeping son in her lap. He was still trying to get his head around this himself. Sam took the phone from Brianne, asked, "Dean? You okay?"

"Yeah.. When I tell you what happened, Sammy, you're not gonna believe it. Looks like we're in the same boat." Dean admitted, managing a smile to himself. Maybe their lives were finally going to have some small shred of good in them now, maybe all of this had happened for a reason. After all, neither Jo nor their own son, Johnathan, showed any signs of a problem after having been held hostage by someone who knew Dick Roman AND Crowley, was working for both of them.

"What do you mean, Dean?"

"I'm almost there, Sam, I'll tell ya when I get there. Anything on that shifter?"

"Nope, it's gone dormant, or it has for a day or two now, Dean. Which doesn't make sense. Why would a shifter go dormant?" Sam mused as he shifted Samantha around in his lap, laughed at something on the movie.

"I dunno.. maybe we can figure it out when I get back there. I'm probably an hour away, man.. And I ain't by myself."

"What do you mean?"

"It's Jo.. I found her.. And our son..."

"Dean? What the hell? You're okay, right?"

"I'm telling the truth, Sam, I'll explain it all when I get there." Dean explained patiently as he hung up and pulled inot a hotel to get some sleep. He wasn't going to waste his time trying to find the bad in this good thing that'd happened to either himself or his brother, nope.. This time, he was going to take it at face value and see what happened in the long run.

Just like he hoped to hell his brother was going to do. This all happened for a reason. Why, he didn't know. But it was long past time they had good things happen in their lives.

Sam hung up and then said quietly, "You don't mind if Dean and Jo stay, do you?"

"Umm, no, Sam.. They're family.." Brianne said as she asked, "So he did find her? Good."

"Yeah.. He also found their son.. I'm still trying to get my head around all this, actually." Sam admitted as Brianne laughed and then said with a smile, "Yeah, it's a lot to take in all at once.. I wanted to tell you before, I just couldn't ever find you.."

"It's okay, Brianne. I'm here now."

"And I'm glad."


	7. Chapter 7

ST LOUIS, MO

The Impala pulled into the driveway next to the 2 story Victorian and Jo's eyes shifted to Dean, brow raised. "She is okay with you bringing us back here too, right?" Jo asked as Dean nodded and then said "Sam said she was. Oh, yeah.. Just so it doesn't shock you when we're in there. Sam's got a little girl."

"Huh? How the hell did that happen, even, I mean he's the straight as an arrow one." Jo joked a little, ignoring the pout Dean gave her as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, promptly waking up their son who poked around until he found Dean's chest then said "Da!" excitedly. Dean chuckled, feeling the tug in his chest when again the little boy said that, to him. "Yeah, little man. I'm still here." Dean said as he scooped up their son, and slid out of the car, going around to help Jo out, and finishing his explanation, telling Jo how Sam met Brianne when the two were seniors in high school, and they'd been really, really close.

"Ahh, so she's the other one. He told me once that he had two girls he regretted letting go of." Jo said quietly as the three of them walked up the stairs to the porch and Dean knocked. The door opened and Castiel opened it, holding Sam's daughter, who'd been trying to run, dodge her nightly bath.

"I've got the little one, Sam." Castiel called out as Samantha frowned, pouted, but then smiled brightly as she pointed to Dean and Jo's son and said "Baby!"

"He's two, sweetie." Dean explained as he and Jo, their son Jonathan stepped into the house. Brianne emerged from the upper level of the house as Sam peeked out into the den from the kitchen and said "Where did you find her at this time, Cas?"

"She was hiding in the cabinet. Again. Why does your child not like taking baths, Sam?" Castiel asked as Sam spotted his brother with Jo.. And a little boy that looked so much like Dean that Sam coughed and quickly grabbed his older brother by the elbow taking him into the kitchen. "Is he?" Sam asked as Dean nodded, smirked proudly then said "Mhmm. And if I could get my damn hands on Dick Roman again tonight, buddy, I'd probably be able to kill him bare handed. That's who put Crowley up to hiding Jo from me, making me think she was dead. Jo said he was planning on coming here to get Brianne and your kid, Sammy, but luckily, we happened to gank the bastard first."

Sam nodded and then said quietly, "So.. Do we take this as some sort of sign? I mean I am. I'm not letting those two out of my sight again. We might have to go into hiding with them if anything really, really drastic does happen, but there's no way I'll walk away again."

"And you know I'm not, Sammy. So yeah, I say we take this as a sign from above, because hell.. We're owed this much at least, I'd think. And my son's not gonna grow up only seeing me every now and then. I've been thinking and as long as we all stick together.."

"That's the same thing I came up with." Sam admitted, smiling as he looked at his nephew, shook his head. "Poor kid.. Dad marked you, didn't he?" Sam joked as Dean said "And you didn't mark Samantha, Sammy?"

"Samantha, thank God, looks more like her mom." Sam said as Dean chuckled and shook his head then said "Nope.. Poor kid's gonna look like a girl you." The two brothers play fought for a while while in the next room, Brianne and Jo sat down, talking to each other, Jo asking, "So Sam found you two on accident?"

"Mhmm. came to town to solve a shifter thing.. And they stopped at the diner I work in." Brianne smiled as she groaned inwardly, elbowed Jo and asked, "Do they always do that?"

"Only when they're happy."

"Oh. Good. You two, if you're gonna fight, at least get out of the room with all the china in it, please?" Brianne joked as Dean and Sam walked into the living room, Sam holding Samantha and Dean holding Jonathan, who pointed to a model car and said "Vroom."

"Yeah. He's Dean's." Jo laughed as she said to Brianne, "Since it's obvious our men aren't going to, seeing as how they're playing with the kids, I'm Jo. Our son's name is Jonathan." Brianne nodded and said with a smile, "I'm Brianne. Our daughter's name is Samantha." as they turned their attention to the two brothers and their two children, laughing as they watched the four of them playing on the floor of the den.

"I really wish their dad could see this now." Jo and Brianne blurted at the same time as they looked at one another and smiled. It would be good if John could actually see his sons happy, their own children. Especially given everything the two had been through.

"Daddy, that tickles. Stop!" Samantha gasped as Sam laughed and stopped tickling his daughters feet before pointing out, "School.. Did you finish your homework?"

"Mhmm. But I wanna show ya somethin." she said as she took off for her bookbag, came back with her math test. "Ya helped! That thing ya showed me! Now I won't be stuck in first grade forever!" Sam chuckled and then said "I'm guessing the bad at math thing comes from mommy. But don't tell her I said that."

A throw pillow connected with his head and he turned, Brianne shrugged as she said "Tip.. If you're gonna say somethin, stud.. Whisper?" while Jo laughed and watched Dean attempting to teach their son how to say the names of his family members. Castiel took Johnathan for a few moments and the little boy promptly pointed to his slight stubble and said "Fuzz."

Castiel nodded and then smiling said "And you, little person.. Your father is a really good man. Probably one of the best ones I've ever had the fortune of meeting. I'm Cas."

"Cas?"

"Mhmm." Castiel said as he held Johnathan out to Dean again who promptly said "Yeah, umm, Mom? I think the little guy left you a present." while Jo laughed and said "Oh no.. It's daddy's turn now. I changed him on the last rest stop. Maybe if you hadn't tried to give him those mashed up french fries when you thought I wasn't looking? "

"Like french fries mashed up and soaked in a milkshake are gonna hurt. Or make that smell.." Dean stated as he nuzzled his nose against Johnathan's nose, laughing when Johnathan gave him a slightly less than amused look.

Sam chuckled and said calmly, "Actually Dean, take it from someone who's ridden with you when you've eaten fast food for a week straight.. yeah, they kinda do."

"Hey you.. Shut your cake hole." Dean blurted, then groaned as he looked at his son and said "Probably not a good idea to repeat anything Daddy might say, little guy."

"Cake?" Johnathan asked as he reached for his father's ear and smiled.

Eventually, everyone settled in for the night, leaving Dean and Sam to look over the case on the shifter as it stood and wonder what made the damn thing suddenly go dormant..

And downtown, behind the diner, Angelica Moore was clocking out when a man approached her and chatted her up. Three hours later, she woke up, found herself chained to a bed. The shifter hadn't gone dormant, he'd just switched his methods. And soon, he'd make his next move. He'd been eyeing the waitress named Brianne, but she'd taken a week or two off, due to her boyfriend coming into town, according to the owner of the diner, Gus. But tomorrow, she started back to work on her usual shift.

And maybe he'd get his chance then.


End file.
